This week we have a special interview with Charlene Carrera Keegan, DVM, a veterinarian who is also passionate about chihuahuas. We spoke to her about her three adorable pets, her family tradition of chihuahuas, and more! Interview is below:
1. Let’s talk about your pups! Tell us about your crew.
I had Shiba Inu for almost 20 years but always loved chihuahuas from afar. After my Shibas were gone, I adopted a chiweenie that was found as a stray. She went on stray hold at my clinic and when no one claimed her I took her home and named her Pickle. She was much loved and cherished for her feisty, stubborn personality.
With time, Pickle’s health started declining but it was around that time that animal control brought in Rosie for us to vaccinate. She was so sweet and shy but when she came in the clinic I fell in love with her right away. I knew that taking her home would add on to the stress we already felt from Pickle’s health issues but I couldn’t say no to those beautiful, big, brown eyes and that tiny little black nose. Rosie’s case was a sad one. Her elderly owner had gone into care and couldn’t take her with her. No one in the family wanted her so they relinquished her to animal control. I couldn’t believe no one wanted her but she has turned out to be the nicest little companion anyone could ask for.
Eventually Pickle’s health declined to the point where we decided to put her down. This was especially hard for my husband because she was his little COVID, work-from-home buddy but I truly believe that Rosie was sent to us assuage his pain. She is now 9 and the queen of the household. She’s the only one allowed to sleep on our bed. She came in and staked her claim!
One March morning I entered an appointment for vaccines for an 8-year-old chihuahua named Diamond. Diamond was also a pet that had gone through a lot of loss and transition. Her owner was an elderly man that had passed and she stayed with the deceased’s wife. There was a fair amount of neglect and she was not provided with basics like veterinary care or affection – she was left to fend for herself. The man’s sister stepped in and took over her care but there was much tension between the sister’s dog and Diamond. The sister was at her wit’s end with Diamond. In reviewing the medical record, I saw that Diamond had a splenic growth that had ruptured once and she almost died. Knowing that it might happen again, I casually remarked that I would take her. The owner’s eyes got misty and she asked if I was serious. I told her that I was, that I loved chihuahuas. Later that week she came home with me. Diamond had a little bit of a hard time trusting us. She had been through so much uncertainty and change that we had to give her a lot of space and listen to her cues. You could see that she wanted to love and be loved but was scared. She would lash out at all of the humans in the house and occasionally at Rosie. After a lot of patience and time, she found her place in the household. I had her spleen removed and it turned out to be a benign splenic hematoma.
The first time I met Pepe was when he was 8 weeks old. Another vet at the practice brought in this tiny, 1.5 lb. Chihuahua on a dark, cold October morning. The tiny baby was in a cold plastic carrier with no blanket or sweater. He peered out of the carrier and wagged his tail. I let him out immediately and made a sweater for him out of stockinette. I opened a can of dog food and fed him right away. She left him at the office for the day and I cuddled with him and put him in my fleece vest trying to keep him warm. Pepe was a surprise gift for her mother but I loved him from the very beginning. Pepe went off to his new home but not even two months later I get a message from my technician asking if I wanted a puppy. My heart immediately stopped. I asked her what kind of puppy and waited very impatiently as those three little text bubbles moved…it was Pepe! I gave her an emphatic yes! A few days later this tiny boy that I first held in my arms was to forever be in my heart. He is our little firecracker who makes us laugh with all of his antics. He is fearless and perfect. He keeps all of us on our toes but is BFFs with Diamond. He really has changed our household for the better.
My older sister adopted a chihuahua 7 years ago, her name is Sweetie and she fits it so well. She is my niece’s best friend.
My younger brother was working at a smokehouse out in the country a ways and there was a pack of stray dogs they would feed. A little chihuahua mix would hang out under his car so he finally took her home and named her Dobby. She’s about 4 now.
3. How did you get into chihuahuas?
I got into them full speed. Every time I saw one on my schedule at work I got so excited to see them. It didn’t matter if they were old, young, spicy, toothless, bitey, hairless, whatever, I just wanted to see them. They’re very much ingrained into Mexican culture and one of the oldest domesticated breeds. I was born in Mexico and saw them pretty much everywhere. They’re very much a part of the family structure in Mexico. I never had the chance to own a chihuahua until I got into practice but I always admired them for their courageous personalities, loveable natures and independence. Having them now honors my heritage
4. As a veterinarian, what do you love most about chis?
What I love about these guys is that they will put you in your place and humble you real quick. If they’re not feeling it, they will tell you without a doubt. But when you find out that you’re the special person that can handle the spicy chi, it feels like heaven. These little guys also happen to be some of my oldest canine patients and because of this they have opened up a love for geriatric medicine. Geriatric medicine in of itself is not a specialization but because my patients are living longer, it has challenged me to educate myself on elder pet care and their specific health needs. They have made me into a better doctor.
5. What are some things you wish more chihuahua owners would do for their dog’s health?
We have to recognize that, in simplistic terms, there are categories of medical issues that affect certain breeds. Chihuahuas, in my experience, are mostly afflicted with dental disease, cardiac disease, patellar luxation and collapsing trachea. I wish more owners would start training their chis to accept early interventional dental care at home. This can include daily brushing, dental wipes, periodontal powders and water additives.
The chihuahua trash mouth has become too widely accepted and we need to make a harder push for more aggressive care to prevent those astronomical dental bills. Pain can be difficult to assess in our patients because they don’t talk, but I can only imagine what a human mouth would look and feel like if it went 10 years with no brushing!
In terms of patellar luxation, make sure your chi gets a good orthopedic exam by about 6 months of age to determine if the patellas can be displaced. I recommend using a harness to walk for chis to avoid putting pressure on their windpipes. Small breed dogs are more prone to collapsing trachea, why potentially exacerbate this by using a collar.
Finally one medical condition near and dear to me is pet obesity. We have an obesity epidemic in our pets in this country and I think we have accepted chihuahuas as fat, spicy potatoes. I want to break this perception and have owners understand that they can be lean and athletic if we give them the chance.
I want owners to be mindful about not starting bad habits by feeding people food from the very beginning. This sets up the pet for a dietary preference that can be very hard to break. It also sets them up for obesity. If you must home cook your pet’s food, do so with the guidance of a veterinary nutritionist.
6. What made you decide you want to be a veterinarian?
My father was an anesthesiologist and I grew up around his medical books and equipment. I blended that medical curiosity with my love of dogs and ended up as a veterinarian. Veterinary medicine is my second career and I graduated at 36 from veterinary school. There has been no regret starting another career later in life and if I could I would open up a chihuahua specific practice. They call me the Chihuahua Lady at work. I have a chihuahua badge on my stethoscope and routinely wear my Chihuahua socks to work.
I got to tell you, these little guys are just fantastic! They have that little dog personality that just shines through. They’re ready to take on whatever comes at them whether it be a Great Dane, a moose or the UPS man. They have so much heart in such a little package. They love and cuddle with you, do the chihuahua shakes, bake in the sun and jump around like a little grasshopper. They happily sit in a stroller, a baby sling or strut their stuff on the sidewalk. There’s just so many sides to them. They’re absolutely perfect.
Thank you so much for sharing with us! We’re so excited to meet a veterinarian who loves chihuahuas as much as we do. 🙂
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- Is There Any Home Remedy for Plaque Build Up In Dogs?
- Does Your Chihuahua Know When You’re Sick?
- Vet Billing – A Potential Solution to High Vet Bills
